Ments



(No Model.)

B. 0. NOBLE. WATER HEATER.

No. 554,371. Patented Feb. 11, 189 6 Wi nesses:

Attorney Enron,

BENJAMIN O. NOBLE, OF HAMILTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIIGI MENTS,TO HIMSELF AND WILLIAM H. HURM, OF SAME PLACE.

WATER-H EATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 554,371, datedFebruary 1 1, 1896.

- Application filed May 31,1895. $erial No. 551,126. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN O. NOBLE, of Hamilton, Butler county, Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ater-Heaters, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to improvements in that class of water-heatingdevices known as instantaneous water heaters, in which class of devicesa stream of water flows through the apparatus no faster than it can beheated by means of a gas-burner.

My invention will be readily understood from the following description,taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1is a perspective vertical section of an instantaneous water-heaterexemplifying myimprovements; and Fig. 2, a vertical section on a reducedscale,the base being omitted.

The plane of section in the two views is identical, and Fig. 2 ispresented to make clearer certain angles of slope liable to aberrationin a perspective view.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a rectangular box-like metallic casing orshell; 2, a removable cover thereon; 3, a base-tank in which the shellsets; 4, an inwall to the base-tank, forming an open center to the tanksurrounded by a channel-shaped tank portion; 5, this channel-shaped tankopen at the top and extending entirely around the tank, the foot oftheshell setting in this tank; 6, a shelf near the top of the shellextending from side to side of the shell and from the rear wall towardbut not to the front wall, this shelf being watertight and slopingupwardly from rear to front; 7, a second similar lower shelf; 8, a thirdsimilar still lower shelf; 9, a similar shelf between shelves 6 and '7but projecting and sloping in the opposite directionthat is to say, withits crest toward the rear wall of the shell; 10, a lower shelfcorresponding with shelf 9 and disposed between shelves '7 and 8; 11,reticulated or perforated aprons extending from the crests of theshelves downwardly to or near tothe shelf immediately below, theseaprons projecting outwardly at their bases so as to produce a facialbatter; 12, the lowermost one of these aprons, its lower edge extendingover a portion of the channel-shaped tank in the base of the structure;13, a water-leg formed around the lower portion of the shell where theshell sets into the base, this water-leg surrounding shelf 8 14, agas-burner disposed within the central opening of the base and havingany usual or suitable form; 15, louver-work below apron 12; 16,inlet-pipe from any suitable source to deliver water within the shellupon shelf 6; 17, outlet-pipe from base-tank 5, and 18 a hopper-shapedfunnel above shelf 6, having a small discharge-opening.

Normally water stands upon the sloping shelves and in the water-leg, asindicated in Fig. 2, and water also stands in the base-tank to theheight of the outlet-pipe 17. When the device is not in use the inlet 16will be closed. To use the apparatus the gas will be lighted, the hotproducts from the burner then passing upwardly through the louverwork.and in a zigzag course through the aprons and between the shelves,resulting in the heating of the water which stands on the shelves andalso the water in the water-leg, and also the metal of the interiorparts of the structure. When the apparatus is thus heated the inlet-pipeis to be opened gently.

NVater then flows to the top shelf, the overflow therefrom going to thefirst apron and then down to the second shelf, and so on till it reachesthe tank out of which it flows by the outlet-pipe. The inflow is to beso regulated that the water will pass through the apparatus no fasterthan it will be heated. The water flowing through the apparatusvirtually trickles through the general ascending column of hot productsfrom the burner, the aprons causing a practically perfect presentationof water in small masses to the hot gases. The louver-work 15 carriesdrip from below apron 12 into the tank. The water earliest drawn fromthe apparatus may be at full heat, for When cold water is admitted itsimply displaces water previously on the shelves and heated. There willbe some circulation and ebullition in the water-leg, the hotter waterrising therefrom and overflowing from the shelf into the tank.

In some cases it may be desirable to reheat water which has passedthrough the apparatus, in which case top 2 is to be removed and theWater is to be poured into hopper 18, as by means of a cup, and thesmall-discharge-opening in hopper 18 will prevent the flooding of theapparatus, the hopper 18 forming an. emergency-reservoir to hold anddischarge one pouring while another cupful is being collected fromoutlet 17.

I claim as my invention 1. In a water-heater, the combination,substantially as set forth, of a shell, an inner water-leg wall in thebase thereof, a sloping shelf joining said Wall and forming a roof tothe chamber surrounded by the water-leg, a series of sloping shelves inthe shell above said water-leg,'all said sloping shelves beingwater-tight at three edges and open at their crests, a gas-burner withinsaid chamber, and an inlet and outlet for water.

2. In a water-heater, the combination, substantiallyas set forth, of ashell, a vertical series of shelves therein and attached watertight tothree walls thereof and sloping upwardly toward their free edges andhaving their free edges presenting oppositely in alternation, a heater,as a gas-burner, below the lowermost shelf, a water-inlet over thetopmost shelf, and a water-outlet below the lowermost shelf.

3. In a water-heater, the combination, substantially as set forth, of ashell, a vertical series of shelves therein sloping upwardly towardtheir free edges and with their free edges presenting oppositely inalternation, reticulated or perforated aprons projecting downwardly andoutwardly from the free edges of the shelves, a heating device, as agas-burner, below the lowermost shelf, awater-inlet above the topmostshelf, and a water-outlet below the lowermost shelf.

BENJ. C. NOBLE. Witnesses:

J W. SEE, SAMD. FITToN, Jr.

